YOUNGSTOWN — The lawyer who represents the estate of a woman whose assets were stolen by a former Mahoning County judge has filed foreclosure on three properties Diane Vettori Caraballo and others control in hopes of recovering assets for the estate.

Attorney Douglas Neuman of Niles filed the foreclosure in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, seeking money to pay the $185,678 judgment granted against ex-Sebring court judge Vettori Caraballo for her actions in a probate case involving Delores Falgiani of Niles. The money has not yet been paid, the suit says.

Vettori Caraballo was sentenced to about two years in federal prison for taking $100,200 from Falgiani’s estate. Vettori Caraballo is currently serving the sentence. In addition to being judge, Vettori Caraballo was a private practice attorney who represented Falgiani.

In the probate case that preceded Vettori Caraballo being sentenced to prison, visiting judge Thomas A. Swift in Mahoning County ordered that Vettori Caraballo repay the $100,200 and other amounts totaling $185,678.

Neuman’s filing says Vettori Caraballo is a one-fourth owner of a piece of property on Wick Street in Craig Beach.

The filing says Vettori and her husband, Ismael Caraballo Jr. of Canfield Road in Youngstown, transferred a second piece of property on Wick Street in Craig Beach Aug. 23 to Roberto and Lisbette Morales “with the intent to hinder, to delay and to defraud” creditors of Vettori, including Neuman.

A third parcel is on Doncaster Drive in Boardman. Vettori and Caraballo transferred that property to Roberto and Lisbette Morales of Canfield, the suit says.

The suit seeks to “set aside” the transfer of that property to Roberto and Lisbette Morales “as being void due to the fraudulent transfer” associated with it, the suit says.

When asked about the lawsuit, Lisbette Morales said by telephone she had no comment. Attempts to reach Ismael Caraballo Jr. were unsuccessful. Atty John Juhasz, who represents Vettori Caraballo, said he had not seen the foreclosure, had not talked to Vettori Caraballo about it and therefore could not comment.

Neuman seeks all three properties to be ordered sold by the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office and that the money owed to the estate be paid to it from the proceeds of the sales. The suit also seeks punitive damages from Vettori, Caraballo, Roberto Morales and Lisbette Morales “for committing fraud upon the [estate] and other similarly situated creditors.”

erunyan@tribtoday.com